Fun activities for the autumn school holidays

With the autumn school holidays about to start, we’ve put together a list of some fun, free or low-cost things to do around our city.

Blockbuster Dinosaur Exhibition at Canterbury Museum

Take the kids into Canterbury Museum and discover the dinosaurs’ secrets of survival in a new exhibition. From life-sized, moving dinosaurs to skeletons, touchable fossil casts and artworks, come along and reimagine what dinosaurs really looked like at Dinosaur rEvolution: Secrets of Survival. As one of the biggest exhibitions the Museum has hosted in years, visitors can become dinosaur experts, learning about how different types of dinosaurs fed, fought and reproduced.

After checking out this new exhibition, make sure you spend some time at Discovery, the natural history centre designed for children and inquiring minds. The kids can dig for fossils, watch the live tarantulas, gaze at a wall of preserved specimens, look through the drawers of pinned insects and learn all about our amazing world and the creatures that share it.

The Museum is open every day throughout the school holidays from 9am to 5pm. Admission charges to Dinosaur rEvolution do apply, with prices for Adults being $10, children under 15 years $5 and children under 3 years free.

Entry to the rest of the museum is free, however, donations are appreciated. The Museum is sited right next to the Botanic Gardens so why not spend some time after your museum visit enjoying the gardens and playing in the autumn leaves.

Agents of Discovery

Looking for something fun and interactive for the kids? Why not check out our Agents of Discovery games app and solve fun challenges while exploring Travis Wetland. 

The free app is available in Google Play and the App Store. You can find the Travis Wetland Ōruapaeroa mission in the app itself. If you download the app and challenge before you visit the beach, you won't need WiFi or data on-site. You can complete the challenge at any time that suits you! Find out more here.

Walk Waitaha – Hidden Worlds Discovery Trail

If you’re looking to take in the city sights, then check out the Hidden Worlds Discovery Trail which aims to help us rediscover the beauty and fun of our city centre.

The Hidden Worlds Discovery Trail is available to download as part of Walk Waitaha/Canterbury and takes in city sights like the Botanic Gardens, Canterbury Museum, Christchurch City Art Gallery and the Tūranga Central Library.

Collect your free trail guide from any of the participating venues – Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Tūranga, Canterbury Museum and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and follow the clues to hidden and unseen worlds.

This particular walk is between 2-5 kilometres and is running from 15 April to 15 May.

The full Walk Waitaha programme is available online. There are 15 accessible walks of varying distances from 500m - to as far as you want to go.

Find the Fairy doors

Fairies have moved into the Christchurch Adventure Park Village! There are 17 doors to locate, so take your time exploring the area and viewing this gorgeously made doors.

This is ideal for families keen to explore the forest and get outside amongst nature. Get your Fairy Door map from Guest services at the Adventure Park or download yours from our website.

Dinosaur Scavenger Hunt

Have a roarsome time at Tūranga library these holidays by joining the Dinosaur Scavenger Hunt. Come along anytime between 15 April and 1 May to start your hunt!

If that’s not for you, the libraries are hosting a range of fun free dinosaur themed activities from special storytimes and mammoth mystery movies to dinosaur discussions and arts and crafts. Find out what’s on at your local library.

The Great New Zealand Easter Egg Hunt

On 17 April between 10am and 4pm, Ferrymead Heritage Park is hosting the annual Great New Zealand Easter Egg Hunt.

There will be live music, tram rides, steam train rides, food vendors and the whole park for everyone to enjoy and explore! Ticket prices begin at $9.70, with tickets for a family of five priced at $55.28. More information including how to book your tickets on their website.

Easter Eggstravaganza at Riverside Market

Riverside Market have teamed up with the Easter Bunny this year to bring you some eggsellent activities. Starting from 1 April 2022 there will be an Easter-themed selfie stand for you to come and strike a pose and take a photo. Plus, you’ll be able to enter the colouring competition to win a chocolate egg.

The eggciting treasure hunt will begin on Friday 8 April. Come and join the hunt to find special eggs throughout the market and you may discover a hidden treasure.

The Easter Bunny will be hopping in to visit the market during Easter Weekend too, from Friday 15 April to Monday 18 April.

Come along for an eggs-quisite time over the Easter Holidays at Riverside Market and make time to also support the other businesses in the central city.

Hit the pool

Having a splash around is a great way to burn off some energy and there are many great indoor pools around the city to do just that. Pools that are open over the holiday period are Taioira QEII, Jellie Park, Pioneer, Graham Condon and Te Pou Toetoe: Linwood. Visit our website to find the opening hours of your local.